Scenes From Next Week . . .?

As a possible strike by film and TV writers looms, one of the most contentious points is how much writers should be paid when their work is distributed digitally for viewing on computers, mobile phones and iPods. There's a big problem resolving the issue, though: No one in Hollywood has any idea how lucrative the digital marketplace will become.

The contract between film and TV producers and the Writers Guild of America was set to expire at midnight Wednesday, setting the stage for a strike that could be called at any...